Introduction
Fahrenheit 451 WebQuest
A Web Quest project uses the resources of the Internet to explore and answer questions pertaining to a particular topic. We are going to explore the issue of censorship--past and present.
Introduction: You have been appointed to the Government's Freedom of Speech Commission. The Commission is studying issues related to Censorship and has asked you to investigate some of the history of censorship and to use the information to help the Commission make judgments about contemporary censorship issues. You will be using the Web Quest to find information about some of the instances of censorship the Commission is interested in.
Task
Your Task: Complete this Web Quest in a group of no more than 4 to learn more about the events that inspired Bradbury’s novel, Fahrenheit 451. Create a PowerPoint or other display that presents information responding to each of the questions in the process portion of this Web Quest.
Process
Part I: Explore the following sites for information on the kinds of historical censorship Ray Bradbury discusses in Fahrenheit 451:
Step I: The burning of Hugh Latimer and Nicholas Ridley
http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/Latimer_Ridley_Cranmer.htm
http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bio/269.html
1. Why were they burned at the stake?
2. Why was Latimer confident that they were doing the right thing?
3. Why would it be important to remind people of this history?
Step II: Nazi Book Burning
https://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005852
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/goebbels/peopleevents/e_book.html
4. In what way might these images have inspired Bradbury to write Fahrenheit 451?
5. Why did it happen?
6. Could it happen again? Explain. 7. How might it have inspired Bradbury to write Fahrenheit 451?
Step III: McCarthyism and Black listing in Hollywood
Each link takes you to a page that tells a small part of the story. You will need to look at several of the pages to get a complete picture.
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/arthur-miller-mccarthyism/484/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_blacklist
http://www.writing.upenn.edu/~afilreis/50s/blacklist.html
8. Why did this happen?
9. When did this happen?
10. Could it happen again? Explain.
11. How might it have inspired Bradbury to write Fahrenheit 451?
Step IV: Fahrenheit 451 and 1950s America
https://www.albert.io/blog/fahrenheit-451-and-1950s-america/
Part II: Censorship? Limitations of Freedom of speech? ...or not?
Step I: Warning Labels on CDs
http://www.gallup.com/poll/17599/parental-advisory-labels-dont-stick-teens.aspx
Step II: The V-Chip & Movie Ratings: Controlling Access to violence and objectionable content in the Media.
Step III: Book Banning
http://www.ala.org/bbooks/about
12. Who is in favor of these limitations on freedom of speech?
13. Why are they in favor of them?
14. Who is opposed?
15. Why are they opposed?
16. Which side do you agree with? Why?
Evaluation
Your evaluation for this Web Quest will be based upon your PowerPoint/display you complete with the 16 questions answered. Please remember to proper spelling, grammar, and complete sentences! A good presentation completely answers the questions and supports answers with images. Please see rubric for grading.
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| Student does NOT answer questions | Student minimally answers each question. Does not use proper spelling, grammar, or complete sentences while responding to questions | Student partially answers each question using proper spelling, grammar, or complete sentences. | Student answered a majority of the questions using proper spelling, grammar, and complete sentences. |
Student fully answered each question using proper spelling, grammar, and complete sentences |
| Student does not use time appropriately | Student did not use his or her time appropriately which is evident based upon the quality and completeness of the presentation. | Student uses some of his or her time appropriately which is evident based upon the quality and completeness of the presentation. | Student uses most of his or her time appropriately which is evident based upon the quality and completeness of the presentation. |
Student uses time appropriately which is evident because of the high quality and completeness of the presentation |
| Student does NOT work well with group. | Student did not work well with his or her group. This is evident in the coherence of the projects as well as peer evaluation and teacher observation. | Student struggled to work with the group some of the time. This is evident in the coherence of the project as well as peer and teacher evaluation. | Student mostly worked well with his or her group members. This is evident in the coherence of the project as well as teacher observation and peer evaluation. |
Student worked well with group which is evident because of the coherence of the presentation as well as peer evaluation and teacher observation |
Conclusion
Now that you have read through the significant history that inspired Bradbury's work, you will be able to use this background knowledge to assist in your understanding of the novel.
There is still censorship today as we learned through music labeling and book censorship. We can start to gather some ideas about how we feel about having limited access to what we choose to read or listen to.
Respond to these questions in your notebook: Are rules in place for power or for the betterment of society? When should I conform? When should I resist? Do we have rights and responsibilities to conform? To resist?